


There is an alliance hidden deep

by Yesthatsmynaturalcolour



Category: Bandom, Fall Out Boy
Genre: Drinking, M/M, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2015-04-19
Packaged: 2018-03-24 20:11:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3782746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yesthatsmynaturalcolour/pseuds/Yesthatsmynaturalcolour
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Andy’s mad at me.” Joe mumbles after a few moments of laying there. Patrick set’s his phone down, giving Joe his full attention and Pete’s right. Patrick really is better at stuff like this. “Or….I don’t know? Annoyed?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	There is an alliance hidden deep

**Author's Note:**

> Story request by a friend.  
> Idea from another friend.

Sometimes the bus’ aren’t set to go anywhere until morning, or afternoon depending on how many hours they have to drive or where they're going for the next show and when they have to be there. So Joe can party till his heart is content, and stumble back onto the bus at 6am shitfaced and content as all to sleep it off during the drive. He has some sense to shower before making his way back to the bus, wet hair pulled back into a bun and it’ll probably dry like shit but he’s too much on the edge of hungover and drunk to care, fumbling to get the code into the bus. He stopped by the bunks changing out of his shirt and jeans and shoving them into the one they’d begun to label as dirty shit. Four bunks, two for clean clothes, two for dirty. Worked perfectly, and well when other people had to stay on the bus they’d combine their clean and dirty clothes and take up two bunks, and if all else failed Andy only had like three shirts they could toss their clean and dirty clothes together and narrow it down to one bunk. 

Andy’s asleep when Joe finally makes it into the backroom, Joe didn’t really expect otherwise though. Sometimes every once and awhile, he’d come back and Andy would look up from his laptop, startled and having lost track of time. His colorful tattoos bright on their white sheets and comforter as the sun starts to stream through the window. He’s laying on his stomach and his arm is slung out to where Joe normally sleeps, fingers curled slightly against the sheets. The comforter is tossed over his waist, tangled like he’d tossed and turned and showing that he’s not wearing anything under the blanket. He showered to apparently, his hair no longer gelled and curling up in different directions. Joe lets himself have a moment, staring at Andy sleeping and yet looking absolutely breathtaking. It’s probably the booze but he’s...so utterly in love. He climbs in slowly, the bed shifting and Andy makes a noise rolling away from the movement. Joe settles into his spot taking a moment or two of flopping and shifting before he’s comfortable. Andy’s arm flops back over on him, curling but this time around him. Andy probably realizing his usual source of warmth is in the bed now. It’s not long before he’s passing out, surprised he even made it this far considering how much him and the other guys consumed in booze tonight. 

Andy shifts not to long later, phone buzzing loudly in the bed next to him and he flops away from Joe to smack his alarm off. His nose wrinkles and he turns looking at the other in the bed with a sigh, climbing up and finding someone’s underwear on the ground at this point he’s past caring there to far into the tour. His or Joe’s, doesn’t matter. He moves out into the main part of the bus pushing his bangs from his face and watching the road move by outside the window. Joe will probably sleep the whole day of driving, only to emerge from the backroom at some unknown hour looking for food and water. He’s never quite in a good mood after nights like last night, hungover and exhausted all at once. Andy sighs going to his bunk to find his laptop and pull up a game to play on steam since they lacked the internet. Shoving his headphones in he booted up some Skyrim and got lost in the mountains. Hands settled on his arms and he actually jumped, some odd hours later after catching hundreds of butterflies and releasing them off a mountain. Joe laughed, and Andy relaxed realizing who it was then again they were moving few others it could be. Tugging the headphones out he turned to give the other a kiss, grimacing right away at the stale taste of booze and cigarettes he’d become familiar with when it came to Joe sometimes. Usually he brushed his teeth though, but it was one of those days Andy didn’t know why he was surprised. Joe frowned pulling away and Andy turned to his laptop ignoring the look.

They talked about it before, they’d have to, two completely opposite personalities and people pretty much. Joe was the social one, talking and partying with all the other bands and Andy would rather go back to the bus or workout. He was straightedge, Joe wasn’t into hardcore stuff but he did drink, and smoke. Way less than he did before hiatus, but it was still often. The bus was off limits for smoking, drinking was okay and that was it. “What time you get in.” Andy mumbled clicking to get his weapon out and fight some wolves for fun.

“Around 6? Maybe 7?” Joe mumbled opening the freezer and staring at it for a long moment. “We still have hot pockets?” Andy shook his head.

“No, you ate the last box when you got back from hanging out with Jeremy two days ago.” He didn’t even look up, they hadn’t gone to a store since then so there was no reason for them to have new ones. Joe wasn’t really around for them to go together and get food anyway. He shook the bitter thoughts off quickly, that wasn’t fair he could have protested at anytime. “You can have one of mine if you are set on hot pockets.” Joe moved over leaning against the bench and kissing the top of Andy’s head. He didn’t smell bad, meaning he showered after smoking so Andy smiled nuzzling the side of his head against Joe and getting the other to laugh as well. 

“No, I know you brought only a few and there a bit harder to find than mine. I’ll figure something else out.” Making cereal is a pain on the road when it’s rough like it is now, but he managed. He goes to turn the tv on shoving some movie in, there’s no internet and it’s not like he has games to play like Andy. Speaking of, he’s been watching Andy from the corner of his eye as the drummer continues his game while he situates himself for the day. It’s not something that really requires his full attention that he’s putting in right now which is weird. But it’s Andy and sometimes Andy just does stuff. Joe’s not one to judge so he eats, only somewhat watching the movie, texting Pete, and watching Andy play. 

Though, Andy doesn’t say anything else to him the whole drive and it feels a little empty.

They didn’t get to the venue into late night but not really late at all for going out, and aren’t set to play until tomorrow night so Joe texts one of the bands they're on tour with wanting to know if their down to hang and looks at Andy, sending a nevermind right afterwards. He’s been unusually quite this whole ride, not so much as moving from his game or talking to Joe, which is fine, sometimes Andy just gets into moods where he needs to be in his own headspace. Specially on tour when he’s being forced through a lot of conversation with people he doesn’t know or interviewed. But Joe can’t shake that empty feeling the drive gave him, that something more is wrong. That he’s personally done something wrong. His need to move around and go out after being on the bus all day is overwhelmed by this thought. 

From the face Andy made when he kissed him, to him not playing in the bedroom like he would when his games were mindless and clicking. The lack of silence….it was just...weird. The bus stops, and he can hear Pete yelling something loud and Wentz like probably toward another band and Joe gets up pushing Andy’s hair around and leaning down to kiss his forehead. Andy pauses his game tilting his head back. 

“You want to go out to dinner tonight?” Andy looks up, surprised, and Joe wonders if it’s really that big of an out there question to warrant such a reaction. Maybe something was bothering the drummer. “We can also order it in if you're not feeling like being around people right now…” Theres a sound from their door, the code and Pete throws it open, grinning despite the fact his hair looks like shit. Blonde sticking up all over the place like he hasn’t even acknowledged what he’s looked like today.

“Dude it’s Kevin’s birthday and I even convinced Patrick to join us at a club you down?” Joe looks, turning down to Andy, he wants to. He really wants to because hanging out with Patrick partying and everything sounds like a fantastic night. But he also just asked Andy about food. Andy shrugs.

“Do whatever.” He mumbles clicking his game, but he gives Joe a half smile so he takes it as a there okay. Pete’s grinning and Joe nods.

“Let me brush my teeth and get myself situated I sat on a bus and ate like an entire box of cereal and watched movies all day I’m gross.” He laughs, and Pete takes off out the bus the door slamming behind him. Joe gives Andy a look and Andy turns to look up at him, but he’s not protesting outwardly so Joe assumes they really are okay and heads to the back to get ready.

He comes back, some odd hour in the morning being slightly smarter about it since Patrick is out with them and Pete and they have a show tomorrow. He’s probably the most drunk but he feels good, he’ll be fine by the time the concert rolls around, and even soundcheck. Patrick and Pete wave him off heading to their bus and he climbs onto his, it’s dark and the brightest light is the green glow from Andy’s laptop, still in it’s spot but he’s not sitting at it. Joe changes like he had the night before, shoving the dirty clothes into his dirty bunk, and when he opens the door to the back room. It’s empty.

He’s drunk yeah but the lack of Andy is….more unsettling than he’d like to admit. He checks his phone, no missed calls or texts and they made it a rule, specially with Andy to tell people where they're going in case something happens, or the bus has to go. Nothing. Meaning Andy’s on the bus? He stumbles back into the hall, realizing he was wearing one of Andy’s shirts just now when he looks down meaning the other’s clean clothes were in his bunk… He pulls back the curtain to Andy’s bunk, and there he is curled up and fast asleep, the DVD player down and his headphones in. He’s got blankets Joe doesn’t remember and some weird movie playing on the screen. But Joe suddenly feels very sober. Remembering the awkward bus ride. He can’t just climb into the bunk like they use to with one another when Pete and Patrick were also on the bus. This is clearly Andy saying he want’s to be alone and Joe has to respect his space.Even drunk Joe knows that. So he goes to the back room, and goes to bed alone. 

Andy’s gone when he wakes up, his laptops still there, with his flip flops so Joe figures he’s out for a run or working out somewhere and can’t get onto Patrick’s bus fast enough. Pete’s up, looking at him confused and slightly startled where he’s changing most likely getting ready to go check as the sound guys set up and everything. “Um.” He blinks. “I figured with what you drank last night you’d be out until soundcheck.”

“I think Andy’s pissed at me. Or...or upset. And I have no idea what I’ve done.” He blurts out, and Pete blinks once, and twice before sighing.

“Patrick’s kind of awake if you want to crawl in bed with him. You know he’s better at this advice shit...and I’ve really got to go help set up the stage and make sure things are going smooth some of the guys texted me about some issues.” Joe takes the invite right away and Pete pats him on the back as he passes. Patrick’s laying in the bed in the back room wearing a 21 pilots shirt and scrolling on his phone, he frowns looking over his phone. But doesn’t comment as Joe climbs into bed with him, just pulling the covers up and around the other and tossing them over him before looking back at his phone. He always gave them space, sometimes they just needed to hang around one another for no reason, sometimes they needed to talk he never pushed for answer to either unless they gave it. 

“Andy’s mad at me.” Joe mumbles after a few moments of laying there. Patrick set’s his phone down, giving Joe his full attention and Pete’s right. Patrick really is better at stuff like this. “Or….I don’t know? Annoyed? I panicked and you and Pete were the first ones I went to because I don’t get worried? Andy and I talk about everything but…..” He sighed rubbing his face. 

“Well….what makes you think he’s mad? Andy….he doesn’t normally get mad unless you say something offensive or sexist….Even then it takes a lot of it to get him riled up.” Joe doesn’t even know if he’s mad, maybe he just didn’t want to sleep in the big bed alone but he can’t figure it out.

“He didn’t talk to me, really at all the whole drive yesterday.” Patrick raises an eyebrow and Joe points. “See! I thought….well maybe he was just in his mind set, or headspace. He gets in those moods on tour, we all know….but. He slept in his bunk last night? And he was gone this morning, without texting me or anything which he always does. Always tells me where he is.” Patrick frowns shifting and picking his phone up.

“He texted me though.” He sets his phone to the side again making sure they were from Andy, before thinking things over carefully. “Well if he is in one of his wanting to be alone moods maybe he wanted to sleep alone? Try bringing it up to him, It’s Andy, Joe.” Patrick pokes him. “You said it yourself you talk about everything. The guy loves you more than he loves coffee and crossfit and that’s pretty impressive. I’m sure it’s just him dealing with a rut and maybe he’s waiting for you to ask him what’s up and give him the invite to talk about what’s bothering him…..” They usually had no issues talking about things, usually it was always open, use one another for therapy and things benefitted greatly from that. Their arguments were few and far inbetween and usually didn’t end up exploding around them which was amazing. If it did, they talked it out better and said sorry faster. He’d talk to Andy before the show, make sure everything’s okay between them.

Which okay that plan was great, only he couldn’t find Andy, and when he did it was at soundcheck, and after that Andy managed to disappear until the show, which they really couldn’t work this out before the show. The mood had to be good, even if it was pretend and talking something out with Andy could make that go either way. Joe wasn’t sure he could pretend if him and Andy got in a fight. He grabbed the drummers wrist when they were lead off stage, and Andy looked up startled and Joe knew if Andy really genuinely didn’t want to be held like this and wanted to get away he’d have no issue breaking the contact. He didn’t though, looking at Joe before following him wherever the guitarist was leading him. Which was just back to their bus. Safest, most familiar place Joe could think of. Free of people and other bandmates to corner Andy and make him feel panicked or nervous. Andy set his drumsticks down in their usual spot kicking his flip flops off and tilting his head at Joe in a question.

“Are you….are we okay?” Joe asked, right for the point because there was no reason to be playing this off as anything Andy looks at him, and then away and Joe takes that as his answer. “Did I do something? Or did...something happen?” He mumbles. Sitting down on their couch. “Andy we can’t fix it if you don’t talk with me about it…” Andy makes a face but breaths out slowly. Like he’s weighing telling Joe something, and if he want’s to at all. 

“I...You know I don’t judge you, for the partying, and for the drugs, or for everything. I don’t want to control your life. You can live it how you want and I’ve accepted that.” He mumbled, but still pretty much rambling, and he was looking away the entire time. How long had this been bothering him? Was it the last two days on top of tour stress or was Andy harboring this for a long time and finally at a breaking point. “You stay away from the harder stuff, and….if you do end up falling into it a little you never come back here, you never bring it back to the bus or the house, you don’t even really drink on here and I’ve accepted that but it’s hard….it’s really hard when you come back so late in the night, or so early and...the bed smells like smoke, and you smell like liquor and I don’t know what to do. I don’t because I don’t want you to stop, it’s part of who you are...and I don’t want to stop you from having fun, enjoying yourself but it’s...it’s hard. To wonder if you're coming back, if you’ll always stumble back here….I can’t-” His voice actually cracks and he curls against himself like he’s ashamed at himself for being upset and Joe hates it. 

Hates it so much because what is a compromise here? Andy’s probably been clinging to this since day one but he couldn’t figure out what to do about it so he never said anything. Afraid Joe would think he was trying to stop him from living, or maybe he just figured there was no solution to their problems and it would only cause tension. It’s clearly upsetting him, things Joe is doing is upsetting him and that’s….that’s pretty shitty feeling. 

Joe sighs, and Andy flinches. “Hey no.” He soothes. “I’m not upset okay? I don’t think you're trying to control me babe, or trying to stop me from having fun with the guys. I’m trying to just think of a solution for us because this is unhealthy for a relationship….and you're upset and I hate, hate it when your upset.” He’s not just going to give up smoking and drinking, and Andy’s not asking him to. “It was shitty of me to go out last night though and I do feel bad about it.” Andy blinks, looking up at him, and fuck he looks like he was about to cry. “I asked you out, I should of kept to that and it was a fucked up thing for me to do as a boyfriend. I don’t even know Kevin that well.” 

Andy gives him a smile, a softer one and Joe feels some balance return to his chest because he’s not crying, Joe didn’t fuck this up horribly. Andy didn’t keep so many pent up emotions inside himself that he’d truly fallen apart. “I wasn’t even upset about that, I was upset that you were going to come home smelling like a bar again...or worse such much worse, not at all….but...thank you.” 

Which still leaves their issue. “I’ll work on it baby.” Andy frowns. 

“Joe…”

“Hey.” He interrupts, because no. “I’ll work on it. Finding a solution that works for me and you on my own terms. I’m not upset, or even annoyed. I wasn’t thinking about it at all really, and I can imagine that the bed smelling like an ashtray isn’t something that’s fair to you even remotely...and neither is the worrying about me all night.” Those were both pretty shitty of him, he hadn’t even noticed the bed, but probably because he was use to the smell. To someone like Andy who strayed far as he could away from it, no wonder he slept in a bunk last night if their beds always smelled like smoke. Andy smiled, and Joe gestured for him to come forward, pulling on his wrists again and tugging him into a kiss. It was a bit awkward sitting on the bench at a table, but Andy managed just fine running his fingers through Joe’s tangled curls.

“Thank you.” He whispered, and Joe smiled, pulled Andy into his lap. His knees fall on either side of Joe, and he drops his head onto his shoulder. Joe smiles wrapping his arms around the other and feeling content to just sit there like this against one another, listening to Andy breath and feeling it rise and fall against his hands. They were sweaty, and gross. Fled the show before talking to anyone but he figured Patrick would cover for them, and Andy got something off his chest that was probably building up to something crazy explosive. 

Things didn’t change right away, he had to come up with what to do, and it took awhile. Trying to find his own compromise mentally because Andy would feel like shit if he just stopped going out, and he didn’t want to. He ran through everything in his head and the first and a pretty big step was he finally made the switch to the e-cigarette he’d gotten during the filming of young blood chronicles. He’d been needing to do it anyway because when they went out of the country cigarettes could get to be insane prices he shouldn’t be paying. It made sense, and he owned one already he should of started a long time again. After that he bought new bedsheets and a comforter for their bed in the back, tossing the other ones into his bunk. Andy noticed it instantly, flopping down into the bed after a show, crawling up next to Joe and freezing. Looking at the other wide eyed before grinning wide and just, perfect.

Drinking was the harder one, because he wasn’t giving that up, and he still wanted to go out and get wasted with the guys. He just needed to find a middle ground that was everything he wanted but still good for Andy. He found a good balance of being able to get drunk, and be somewhat more sober by the time he made it back to the bus that he’d stopped smelling like it. He also texted Andy through the night, a slight reassurance that Joe hadn’t gotten wasted and dumped in a ditch. Andy seemed grateful for that more than anything else, texting him a smiley face or a sleeping emoji. The guys gave him shit sometimes when he left early, or didn’t drink sometimes just because he didn’t feel like it mainly. Sure he got shitfaced here and there, passed out on the bus of the other bands they were touring with here and there. He always told Andy where he was and if he was staying, sometimes he made sure even before hand sitting in the bed with Andy. They were better now, just a slight few changes in their life. Andy slept in a little later to cuddle with Joe and he was totally all for cuddles, he played his games in bed a lot more than he use to after working out if Joe was still in bed. 

And drinking less, he was more awake in some of their longer drives to spend time with Andy. Which how the fuck was Joe missing out on that?


End file.
